Jimbo wrote on Oct 25^th, 2016 at 2:43pm:

I didn't have a GPS in those days... not that they are much good in heavy fog, anyway (I found that out just three weeks ago on big Pickerel Lake in Quetico!).  Therefore I kept to the shoreline or, at least, what I could barely see of it.  That was the first and only time I have ever paddled in that area.  Never have I been out in such heavy fog!

It is clear that I need to take you aside and give you a few lessons on using a GPS.  I think I first noticed that you were "GPS challenged" on a trip to WCPP when you apparently wanted to head "cross-country" to Paull Lake from Middle Kilburn, without first going through Upper Kilburn (but that's another story).

This past year (alone), I navigated from near the portage to Argo across Roland Lake in fog so thick that you absolutely couldn't see 30 feet away.  Yet, I managed to easily navigate through channels where I couldn't see the shore line and across a big chunk of open water and go directly to the landing for the portage to Middle Roland.  Once pushing off from the campsite on Roland, it was literally "IFR" all the way.  It was definitely a case of "trusting your instruments" ... definitely no way I would have attempted it without a GPS, and transit time was just about what I would have expected under normal conditions.  (A bonus produced by virtue of the conditions that day ... the lake was absolutely like glass.)

During the crossing, I reflected on the possibility of running over other  canoeist during my adventure.  But then it occurred to me ... probably NO one else would be on the lake under these conditions.

dd